Safety belt system for vehicles



L. W. BANTA SAFETY BELT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 11, 1958 v Filed 001.. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. W. BANTA SAFETY BELT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Feb. 11, 1958 Filed Oct. 18, 1955 L [IM i l I l 1 INVENTOR. AZ/QYI/V. /VT BY ama-a United States Patent 2,825,646 SAFETY BELT SYSTEM FR VEHICLES Larry W. Banta, La Porte, Tex. Application October 18; 1955, Serial No; `541,122 s Claims'. (Cl. aso-isb) This invention relates to vehicles, and more particularly to improvements in safety belt structures for vehicle seats.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved safety belt system for ay vehicle seat, such system involvingl relatively `simple components, being easy to install, and providing greatly improved passenger safety in the vehicle equipped therewith. I

A further object of the invention is to' provide an irnproved safety belt stru'cture for a vehicle seat, said structure involving relatively inexpensive components, being arranged so as not to interfere with thecornfort ofthe passengers employing same, and providing improved pro'- tection for the passengers ofthe Vehicle equipped with the safety belt devices of the present invention against injury from collisions, or other emergeney conditions.y y

Further objects andv advantages of the invention'will become apparent from -th'e following descriptionr :and

claims, and from the accompanying drawings', wherein: e

Figure is a transverse' vertical cross sectional vievv,'

similar to Figure 2, but showing af modified form of safety belt arrangement according tothe preseht'inven'- tion.

Figure 6 is an' enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view takenv through one of the resilient fastening elements employed to yieldably secure an end: of the transverse belt-anchoringY chain employed in the form of the' in'- vention illustrated in Figure 5; i

Figure 7 is an enlargedfragmentary frontA elevationalI view of one of the quick-releasing buckles employedon the waist-encircling lstrap members of the safety belt arrangement of Figuresl to'5f` Figure 8 isv a cross sectional' View taken on the line 8-,8 of Figure7. u l Y n Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 tof 4, 11 generally designates -a conventional vehicle seat having a substantially horizontal cushioned support porti-on 12 and an upstanding'back rest portion 13 at` the rear margin of the support lportion 12.` Secured transversely to the floor 15 of the vehicle beneath and parallel to the rear margin of the' horizontal supp-ort portion 12 is afbarmernber 16, isaid bar'member being provided with the depending vertic'alndportions"17, 117 which extend through and which are suitably secured rigidly to the floor 15, supporting the main portion of the bar 16 parallel to and above the floor 15, as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

2,823,046 lamented Feb. 1.1, 195s Designated respectively at 18 1.8 le ileiible strap members formed attheir ends with loops 19 and 20 which are engaged on and around thehorizont'al main portion of the bar 16, the straps eittendiil'g between the bottoni edge of the back restl portion 13 and the rear marginal portion ofthe horizontal S'Lllpirt 12wl1`e'r`eby the-strap members are adapted yto engage around the bodyof la person on the seat in the, manner illustrated in Figure l, The strap members 18 thus are adapted toy encirclethe waist of the person, as illustrated;Vv Said strap members 18 are provided `with suitable Y*quick-Kreleasing members 21, whereby .each strap member 1S r11135 be adjusted to comfortably engage around the waist of lthe person usingthevs'anie. v e Y Y t I t Asl sho 'n in gu1es7` and 8, each buckle 21 comprises a rectangular main hodyZZrfor'r'n'ed vwith parallel `1ongi 1 tfdinal side angesm23v,l2'3,r a transversepin elementli being secured-through the e'nd portions of the side anges 23, 23 and providing anchoragefor the loopy 25 ,on the en'd of one of the strap segmentsconlprising the straps .18.; At the jo'pposite endrportion ofmain body 22, the ilanges 23 are formed with inclined slots, 26 which are parallehltp each einer', said Slots' being inclined in the mamier-,illus` trated in VFigure 8 and slidably receiving a transversegpin 27 provided on its innerportion with a loeking sleeve.` 28, The remaining segment of the belt 1S is received .between the locking sleeve 2:8 andnthe main ,.body l22 of the buckle, as shown in Figure S, whereby salid'r'emaining segment may be clafnjaed by'movingtljle piri 21 lavi/,ay from the'loopjZS. To nnelamp Ythe belt segment, the' pini zlismgoyed in direction toward the belt loop 25," whereby; the clamping force is relieved, allowing the belt tob, unfa'sftened.

"Designated respectively at 2.8, 28@a'revrespetivepailgs of additional flexible straps which `are' provided at their',l entre with' respeetivelopps 29@ and 30,' saidlobpslbeing engaged around' the ahichr'lb'arl, and the Astraps elitendf ing' around and over the topedg Q'f the'. back rest portion 13 of the seat. As shown, `the rear portions ofthe .flexilgil'ev straps '28' are crossed adjacent the rearside ofatheback.

rest porti-on 1`3-`dlilfirlg respective st'la'i'ps for engaging? around' the respeetive sh'ouldes" of the person using .the seat.

The s'tla`ps'f1'8u and elastic material, sil'clras` leather orfthe like.v Togprovide a desired degree of elastieityin the shoulder, straps 28, each'sliould'er strap is formed at itsf real-fv portionwitha loop'elem'ent 3T, the end portions of the loopelementv 31'g being cranne'eted by a strip ofelastie rnbbe-likematsriai 32, as shown in Figures ,3 and 4, allowinglimited stretchingerthefstraprneinbers'z.,

The strap'nier'ribers18 and 28, asiaboveexplained'nay be formed of anySuitable ilegible, relativelyl inelastic materiaL'suc'h' as leather, canvas web' material, .oi-'.,the likelf 'Ith'efloops'19"7 20, 29" andjSare engaged bar 16,y whereby" said loopsv readily adjust themselves;tolr

positions na'eeordanc'e with the size andsliape ofthe' body .As, abgyeexlilid, the. l trap rnerriber` 18- i's' adjupsvtalble' by meansy of the 'bneklejrneni fr 521 provided thereon,. 'fIlife' sl1ould=. l straps 28,' 28: are'sufciently elastic, bythe provisionof of the'person'usingthe straps. waist-eneircling' the" elastic stripsat" their rear portions, to:ib'e.corliv fortably adjustable vorl the shoulders of the person usingl the straps;

In thefdnn'of the rventian illustraiedjiifi Figiis slainv ls employed oftlrefinventien, the end-suffire verranti6"ibeingfrastrd to the floor 15 by means of fastening bolts 17 extending through the oor, the ends yof the bolts 17' engaging'the apertured anchor elements 18 connected to the ends of 28' .are .fabricated off, r'lativlfyfiii;

chain 16', as shown in Figure 6. The shank of each bolt 17 has a washer 19 engaged thereon immediately subjacent the floor and is provided with an additional washer 20 supported on the shank by a cotter pin 21 coiled spring 22' ers 19 and 2(9, downwardly.

The respective loops 19, 20, 29 and members 18 and 28, 23 of each set of safety straps are engaged with spaced links of chain 16', in the manner clearly shown in Figure 5, whereby the strap loops 19, 20, 29 and 30 are secured to chain 16. Since the ends of the chain are yieldable, by the provision of the coiled springs 22 on the Shanks of the bolts 17', the straps are yieldably held andprovide a resilient yielding action, enabling the straps to be comfortably tted on the body of the person using same and providing a shock absorbing action, whereby impact or other emergency vehicle conditions allow a limited amount of yielding of the straps to prevent discomfort or injury to the person employing the safety straps.

In the previously described form of the invention, the elastic strip elements 32 provide a similar degree of yielding action, and a further degree of yielding action is provided by the sliding engagement of the strap loops 19, 20, 29and 30 with the anchor rod 16.

While certain specic embodiments of an improved safety strap system for a vehicle seat have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1.` In a vehicle, a seat comprising a substantially horizontal support portion, an upstanding back rest portion at the rear margin of said support portion, an anchoring member secured transversely to the floor of the vehicle beneath and parallel to the rear margin of said support portion and being substantially coextensive therewith, a irst iiexible strap member -secured at its ends to said transversely extending anchoring member and extending between the bottom edge of said back rest portion and the rear margin of said support portion, said irst strap member being adapted to engage around the body of a person on .the seat, and a pair Iof additional flexible strap members secured at their ends to said transversely extending passing through the shank. A surrounds the shank between the wash biasing the head portion of bolt 17' lof the strap anchoring member and extending around and over the top edge of said back rest members being adapted shoulders.

2. In a vehicle, a seat comprising a substantially horizontal support portion, an upstanding back rest portion at the rear margin of said support portion, an anchoring Amember secured transversely to the iioor of the vehicle beneath and parallel to the rear margin of said support portion .and being substantially coextensive therewith, a rst ilexible strap member secured at its ends to said transversely extending anchoring member and extending between the bottom edge of said back rest portion and the rear margintof said `support portion, said first strap member being adapted to engage around thebody of a person on the seat, and a pair of additional exible strap members securedat their ends to said transversely extending anchoring member and extending around and over the top edge of said back rest portion, said lastnamed Ystrap members being adapted to engage over the persons shoulders, each of said last-named strap members including an elastic portion formed and arranged to allow limited stretching of said last-named strap members` portionJ said last-named strap to engage over the persons lower end portion of the Y 3. In a vehicle, a seat comprising a substantially horizontal support portion, an upstanding back rest portion at the rear margin of said support portion, an anchoring member lsecured transversely to the floor of the vehicle 5 beneath and parallel to the rear margin of said support portion and being substantially coextensive therewith, a first flexible, substantially inelastic strap member secured at its ends to said transversely extending anchoring member and extending between the bottom edge of said back rest portion and the rear margin of said support portion, said first strap member being adapted to engage around the body of a person on the seat and being provided with buckle means for adjusting its tightness, a pair of additional flexible strap members secured at their ends to said transversely extending anchoring member and extending around and over the top tdge of said back rest portion, said lastfnamed strap members being adapted to engage over the persons shoulders, said last-named strap members being crossed at the rear side of said back rest portion, each of said last-named strap members being formed of substantially inelastic material and being formed with a loop, and a strip of elastic rubber-like material secured across each loop, allowing limited stretching yof said lastnamed strap members.

4. In a vehicle, a seat comprising a substantially horizontal support portion, an upstanding back rest portion at the rear margin of said support portion, an anchoring bar secured transversely to t-he iioor of the vehicle be neath and parallel to the rear margin of said support portion and being substantially coextensive therewith, a first iiexible strap member secured at its endsl to said transversely extending anchoring bar and extending between the bottom edge of said back rest portion and the rear D margin of said supportfportion, said first strap member being adapted to engage around the body of a person on the seat,` and a pair of additional liexible strap members secured at their ends to said transversely extending anchoring bar and extending around and over the top edge of 40 said back rest portion, said last-named strap members being adapted to engage lover the persons shoulders.

5. ln a vehicle, a seat comprising a substantially horizontal support portion, an upstanding back rest portion at the rear margin of said support portion, an anchoring chain resiliently secured to the floor of the vehicle beneath and parallel to the rear margin of said support portion and being substantially coextensive therewith, a tirst flexible .strap member secured at its ends to said transversely extending anchoring chain and extending between the bottom edge of said back rest portion and the rear margin of said support portion, said iirst strap member being adapted to engage around t-he body of a person on the seat, and a pair fof additional ilexible strap members secured at their ends to said transversely extending anchoring chain and extending around and over the top edge of said back rest portion, said last-named strap members being adapted to engage over the persons shoulders.

50 References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,365,625 Carlisle Dec. 19, 1944 2,576,867 Wilson Nov. 27, 1951 m 2,634,802 Stumm Apr. 14, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,068,761 France Feb. 10, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Howe: Article on Safety Belts from Ford Field (periodical), vol, 56, No. 9, September 1954, pages 16 and 34, 

